Box Making Template – Triple T Tuesday Resource.

I’m sharing a resource today which is so great, that you’ll probably spend the rest of the day making boxes!

It’s a web app to make box templates. I’ve used it several times over the years but recently on a return visit noticed that the developer has added new features that make it perfect for Cutting Machine Users. It’s called Template Maker and you can find it here.

How to use the Template Maker

There’s a huge variety of boxes that are available. Not only that, there’s bags and envelopes there too.  It’s a gift wrapper’s paradise!

Although it is pretty self explanatory and the site does have good instructions, I’ve picked a regular little box to show you.

Cutting with Scissors

Simply decide which size you need for the box of your choice. Choose your unit of measurement. Add in the dimensions and click create. The app will open a PDF of the template. You can download this or print it out or even print it on patterned paper or card.

Silhouette Studio Designer Edition Instructions

If you have a Cutting machine, take another look at the picture above. Do you see the “More Options” link? click on that.

It will open a new screen showing a picture of the Sample Box and preview of the template. It also shows the general Dimensions box where you can enter your desired Dimensions and underneath are the Expert Settings shown below.

Now I will admit I didn’t adjust any of the other expert settings. I’m not sure exactly what the glue or dust settings are for but I imagine the tuck setting is the depth of the lid flap. I would leave them at the default suggestions for now unless I found the template wasn’t quite right and needed adjustments later after a test cut.

The developer also gives some tips on paper weight, and printing at the bottom of the page which are well worth a read.

Back to the File format options. For cutting machine use, save the template as an SVG and check the additional option for Inkscape and Silhouette.

After clicking “Create” , the SVG file will open in the browser. Right click and select “save page as”  to save the file to your computer. Your computer may have the option to “save image as” instead.

If you have Silhouette Studio Designer’s Edition you can simply open the file from your computer where you saved  it, or drag it into your Silhouette Studio Workspace. Once on the mat,  Select the box template, open the Cut settings and change the setting from “No Cut”  to “Cut”.  It’ll be all ready to cut with no fiddly tracing required.

No Designers Edition?

Follow the options above, but instead of SVG, select save as a DXF file.  I believe that DXF files can be opened in the regular Silhouette Studio program. I’m not sure if the cut settings will have to be turned on or if they’ll already be on. Let me know if you try it 🙂

I made my Poodle pillow box using this app and the free file that I’m sharing this coming Friday is also a box made with the template maker. So keep an eye out for that.

Feel free to pop a photo on my Facebook page of any Box creations you make with the Template maker. I’d love to see them.

 

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